Control property is mapped modally compatible GUI element

Abstract

An information processing system has an electronic device and a controller for control of a functionality of the device. An abstract representation of the functionality is provided to the controller. The abstract representation exposes a modality of controlling the functionality. The controller enables controlling the functionality through interaction with the abstract representation. The modality controls associating the control of the functionality with a modally compatible controlling capability of the controller. The modality exposed can be, for example, “Boolean”, “float”, “integer array”.

I claim:  
     
       1. An information processing system comprising an electronic device and a controller for control of a functionality of the device, wherein: 
       an abstract representation of the functionality is provided to the controller;  
       the abstract representation exposes a modality of controlling the functionality;  
       the controller enables controlling the functionality through interaction with the abstract representation; and  
       the modality determines associating the control of the functionality with a modally compatible controlling capability of the controller.  
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically a Boolean. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically a set of discrete values. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically a range of floating-point values. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically an array. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically another abstract representation. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controlling capability is accommodated in a GUI. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , comprising a home automation network. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , comprising a HAVi-based network. 
     
     
       10. A method of enabling control of a functionality of an electronic device via a controller for control of the functionality, the method comprising: 
       enabling providing an abstract representation of the functionality to the controller;  
       enabling the abstract representation to expose a modality of controlling the functionality for enabling the controller to control the functionality through interaction with the abstract representation; and  
       under control of the modality exposed enabling associating the control of the functionality with a modally compatible controlling capability of the controller.  
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
       displaying a graphical user interface element on a graphical user interface, the element corresponding to the modally compatible controlling capability of the controller; and,  
       enabling a user to interact with the element to control the functionality.  
     
     
       12. An electronic device for use with a controller for control of a controllable functionality of the device, wherein: 
       the device comprises an abstract representation of the functionality for enabling the controller to control the functionality through interaction with the abstract representation;  
       the abstract representation allows exposing a modality of controlling the functionality to the controller;  
       the modality controls associating the control of the functionality with a modally compatible controlling capability of the controller.  
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically a Boolean. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the modality is specified semantically a set of discrete values. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically a range of floating-point values. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically an array. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the modality is specified as semantically another abstract representation.